My favorite book of the year so far. A family mystery, murders and thefts, secret societies, maps that lead to hidden realms, rekindled romances, and so much more. A great mix of history, mystery and fantasy; wonderfully written for those who love old things - old maps, old books, old places, old stories.
I loved everything about this book: the concept, the setting, the characters. Katy and her mother were planning a trip to Italy when she dies and Katy, reeling with grief, decides to go alone. In the magical setting of the Italian coast, she encounters more magic in the form of her mother returned to life, but as she was 30 years, before Katy was born. Meeting this younger mom challenges Katy's view of her, and of herself and her future. A wonderful read to warm your life. Great Mother's Day present too!
An atmospheric thriller set in an opulent but decaying Paris apartment building where all the tenants are suspects. Jess arrives seeking refuge with her older brother Ben but finds only an empty apartment, a cat with blood on its paws, and unfriendly neighbors with many secrets. Jess's search for Ben draws her into the lives and mysteries of the building with plenty of twists and turns and fast paced writing that will keep you turning the pages. Another excellent mystery by Lucy Foley!
I loved this retelling of "The Great Gatsby". Told by the point of view of three female characters, who are anything but fools,it's part literary re-telling, part historical fiction, part murder mystery. Brings to the forefront the lives of three very different women fighting to find their way in the glitzy era of the roaring 1920's.
The best book I have read so far in 2021. Gifty has been through many tragedies in her short life but has turned her pain into devotion to her research on the neuroscience of addiction. Jumping between her childhood and current life, we see how the experience and religion of her childhood shape who she is today. Beautifully written and heart wrenching, without being hopeless. Gyasi is an author worth following for sure!
In a normally quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of London, a troubled teen girl has gone missing and there are reports of assaults. Are the news stories connected? This page-turner had memorable characters and a twisty plot. Can you figure out who really are the heroes and who are the predators?
An epic tale of an American surgeon who must revisit her past and her traumatic exit from Afganistan after an elderly patient turns out to be an important person from her childhood.
Bold, illuminating, heartbreaking, yet hopeful, Sparks Like Stars is a story of home—of America and Afghanistan, tragedy and survival, reinvention and remembrance, told in Nadia Hashimi’s singular voice.
